U.S. Hotel Revenue Rose 14.2% Led by Shift in Calendar
Hospitality operators saw increased room rates and occupancy across most major markets last week.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Hospitality
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U.S. hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) climbed 14.2% for the week ending September 26, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025. The national gain was driven by a favorable shift in the Rosh Hashanah calendar that boosted occupancy and daily rates.
Why it matters
The sudden revenue uptick highlights how calendar-driven events directly influence booking demand and pricing power for hotel operators. This shift underscores the sensitivity of seasonal occupancy to religious and civic holidays, forcing owners to adjust yield management strategies in real time.
Revenue per available room rose 14.2% to US$125.06, while occupancy hit 69.7% and average daily rates reached US$179.43. These figures represent a notable performance spike versus the same week in 2025, though individual market outcomes varied significantly across the 25 largest tracked cities.
The players
San Francisco
A major U.S. metropolitan hotel market that recorded the largest RevPAR increase among the top 25 cities.
Phoenix
A top 25 U.S. hotel market that was the only major area to report a RevPAR decline for the tracked week.
The details
The industry-wide revenue growth was primarily fueled by increases in both occupancy and average daily rates. San Francisco outperformed all other top 25 markets with a 35.1% increase in RevPAR, while Orlando saw an 18.6% occupancy jump and Miami posted a 19.8% rise in average daily rates. Conversely, Phoenix bucked the national trend as the only top 25 market to report a decline, ending the week with a 0.5% drop in RevPAR.
Timeline
September 20-26, 2026: The week analyzed for industry performance metrics.
Market Landscape
This performance spike sits against the 2025 hotel performance baseline, providing a benchmark for typical seasonal variance. The data suggests that calendar-related shifts remain a primary catalyst for periodic revenue volatility in the U.S. hospitality sector.
Operators should review their own property occupancy data against this week’s national benchmark to assess if their local results kept pace with broader market shifts. It is essential to account for calendar-based volatility when forecasting demand for the upcoming fiscal quarter.
The takeaway
Revenue growth this week was heavily influenced by the specific timing of Rosh Hashanah, demonstrating the importance of tracking religious and secular holidays in regional demand modeling. Operators should monitor their RevPAR trends closely to determine if their local market reflects these national tailwinds or requires a mid-quarter pricing adjustment.
Further reading
For more on industry performance trends, see Hospitality.
More information
Find additional industry performance data on the CoStar company and services information portal.
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